What she looks like for certain isn't necessary. Showing us a quarian in general or even a picture of how they looked before the enviro-suits would be more than enough. Some of the tech systems still functioned on Haestrom, certainly you could find a portrait of a quarian.

I'm going to jump the "show another quarian" bandwagon. I like the mystery of Tali's face. I think it's what made her interesting. However, curiosity is killing me, but only for what the species look like, not Tali, herself.

Still, I hope they don't announce their decision. Make it all a surprise, either way.

You know, partially i'd agree on this. However the Criteria for showing her Face is that she must have been romanced in ME2 and died in the last Mission and the game is imported into ME3. Basicly, you can only see her face when you killed her off. Imagine the rage of the Fanboys.

Seriously, i dont see her appeal. Didnt romance her at all, ever, not even for "shits and giggles". To me, Tali is kinda like the little Sister, a bit nerdy, lil bit cute, but no "Romance-material". Same as Liara isnt really either, too bookworm-ish in ME1, havent seen much of her in ME2 yet as i dont have Shadow Broker DLC so far...bloody DLC Prices. Same btw for Garrus there, he is more of a Warbuddy, you know, someone you go hopping around the Galaxy with, smashing People's Skulls and generally shooting stuff and then go drinking afterwards, but not romance-material there either.

So here's the Thing. If she is revealed, Tali that is, then make it partial. Do not show her full Face. Show a few Pieces, a little of the Nose, the Eye, maybe the Corner of the Mouth and a bit of Cheek. That way People can get a sense of what she kinda looks like without it being decided for them. Basicly you can please those that want the reveal while keeping everyone happy because what is shown is vague.

Kinda like the Sex Scenes in ME1. Only a little here and there but nothing "straight on".

they should but put a message at the start saying if you want to see her face or not & make sure no one can put an image up making the only way people can do it is if they go through the game that way, but the last one will be extremely hard to enforce

I'd like to see Tali's face. Ultimately a game character's looks aren't as consequential because they're created. Now developers are using facial modeling, but sometimes that looks a little weird. Miranda is a little 'uncanny' at certain angles.

And the reason we haven't seen any quarian's face yet is because they're allergic to everything but themselves. Doesn't mean their visors have to be frosted, though.

EDIT: Quarians also have skin that's somewhere between an aligator's scales and tree bark.

To everyone curious as to what Quarians look like, I think it important to remember that the question is not whether or not to reveal Tali's face, but whether you want someone at Bioware to design what her face looks like under the mask. Less of a "reveal" and more of a "create". That is less intriguing than a genuine mystery.

Proverbial Jon:However I'm pretty certain that Tali did explain to Shepard (at some point during the trial mission?) that they had adapted to life in the suits and were unsure that they would even be able to live within a planet's atmosphere again, at least not for another period of years in order to adapt back. I could be remembering this wrong but I highly doubt a race as physically sensitive as the Quarians could just return to their homeworld and simply breathe the air unaided by their suits. Although, granted, it is a lovely image.

You are correct, but I imagine reclaiming the homeworld would be another one of those moments where taking some immuno-boosters and removing the visor would be worth a fever and such.

Proverbial Jon:However I'm pretty certain that Tali did explain to Shepard (at some point during the trial mission?) that they had adapted to life in the suits and were unsure that they would even be able to live within a planet's atmosphere again, at least not for another period of years in order to adapt back. I could be remembering this wrong but I highly doubt a race as physically sensitive as the Quarians could just return to their homeworld and simply breathe the air unaided by their suits. Although, granted, it is a lovely image.

You are correct, but I imagine reclaiming the homeworld would be another one of those moments where taking some immuno-boosters and removing the visor would be worth a fever and such.

Ahh yes, good point. I'd like to see this happen in Mass Effect 3 actually, Bioware should take note!

Personally, I'd like to see her face. (I'd like it even more if they used the voice actress as a model instead of pulling a random face out of their butts, but that's just personal preference.) I think it could be great for a moving emotional scene, probably right after resolving the mess with her homeworld. (Maybe only reveal her face to those who romanced her?) Regardless of what they decide, I'm just glad Tali's coming back.

Everyone just HAD TO KNOW Wolverine's past was... and look how that turned out...

Everyone just HAD TO KNOW how Darth Vader fell... and look what we got...

Everyone just HAD TO KNOW Doomsdays back history... and.. well.. it was kind of cool.. then got really lame..

I could go on, but, the point is, the above charathers were intresting, *in part*, because they were a mystery. The mystery got hyped to no end, and they payoffs seemed to disapoint more then satisif. And taking away the mystery sometimes harms the charater. It did with Darth Vader for me, a bit. He isn't quite the bad@$$ he used to be ever since I've seen the prequals.

So no, I'm good. I LIKE Tali. I don't have to know what she looks like. A little mistery is a good thing IMO.

Stabby Joe:I'm not entirely sure. I mean on one hand I liked her the most of the female character and did the romance option but after two games, anything else would just seem... different in the negative sense.

I think they should finally show her face. The mystery has been fun, but now it would just be ridiculous to not unmask her. Can you imagine how many bioware fans lose sleep, just wondering what Tali's face looks like? Put them (and me) out of their misery.

I don't get it when people say: "The real Tali will never live up to expectations."

How so? I don't think anyone was expecting her to have diamonds for eyes, that can shoot lasers.

I remember liking Tali a lot in ME1. She and Wrex were my go-to-ers (Wrex didn't die in my story obviously). I remember wishing I could romance her but settled for Ashley (who I couldn't stand).

I found out a little late in ME2 that I could romance her and had to settle for Miranda. When I did the restart with the character, I immediately romanced her.

She has been one of my favorite characters in the series. I will continue my romance with her in ME3 (I'm curious to see Ashley's reaction). I want to see her face out of curious. If she has the predator/zoidberg face, I'll be creeped out and have a good laugh that I romanced her.

Personally, I would like it if the quarians all unmasked and it turns out they are the most beautiful creatures in the galaxy.

No, dont do it, back away from the ledge Bioware. I know you guys are professionals, but there is no way you can make Tali's face so great that supporters will flood the forums to drown out all the trolls and other people that dont like what you did with Tali's face. Look at Master Chief, from Halo. He was charismatic, and he had about 10 lines of dialogue per game and about as much personality as a box of tissues. Now he is a culture icon, and hordes of fanboys come out of the woodwork to defend him online. . Now look at Samus, from Metroid. She was a female gaming icon. Then Team moron or whoever made the most recent Metroid decided to give her a voice, and EVERYONE HATED HER after that. All the work making her the most awesome female character in gaming, and now her name will forever be associated with that soulless voice and crappy cash in. Bottom line, Please PLEASE dont show her face, because nothing you do will be as cool or spawn as much discussion as keeping Tali's face a mystery.

in the right context, Tali being unmasked could be a fantastic development for her as a character and Quarians as a whole.

Imagine if in the recruit phase for Tali in Mass Effect 3 she ends up taking a Yahg that was indoctrinated hand to hand, and her suits helmet was damaged beyond repair. this forces her into a clean room on the Normandy where she is critically ill, and confesses her crush on Commander Shepard, or berates herself for being carless enough to think she could take on said Yahg hand to hand.

this could extend to her replacement helmet being human made with a transparent faceplate.

Another possibility would be that the Quarians Species as a whole, realizing that in their war with the Geth, they can not afford to rely on suits undergo a massive Genetic and Cybernetic enhancement so that they can survive outside their helmets boosting their immune systems to tolerate non sterilized air. Tali being a younger generation, is part of a movement of Quarians youths that completely forgo their suits as a result, making her big reveal REALLY shocking during recruitment.

tacomonkey 360:Just make Fornax magazine a real thing and we all will know what Qurians look like. Also im curious as to what Salrian, Krogen, Turian females look like. Two game and we still havent scene any.

In fairness, it is mentioned in the background entry for the Salarians that it's extremely rare for females to leave their home planet, and that the female Krogan are off on their own in a seperate safe area the one time you go to their home world. So it's not THAT odd you've never seen females from those races (although, I think there is a female in the Krogan compound in ME2), but yes, you have a point about the Turians.

Also, the idea of them taking off their suits on the (newly reclaimed) homeworld wouldn't work. The reason they wear them is because they've spent so long living in completely sterile environments that they've a very, very weak immune system and would be just as vulnerable to bacteria from their own planet as from anywhere else these days.